Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The Final Four.
After four postseason playoff games, the Division 5 field has been whittled down to four survivors including the Ironton Fighting Tigers for the second straight season.
Ironton (10-0) will be facing the Roger Bacon Spartans (10-0) for the third time in school history when they meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in the state semifinals at London.
The previous two meetings were both Ironton wins as they took a 14-6 victory in 1940 and followed that with a 15-0 win the next season. Both games were played at Tanks Memorial Stadium.
The game will feature a pair of Division 1 recruits. Ironton senior Reid Carrico is headed to Ohio State to play linebacker while Roger Bacon senior running back Cory Kiner has given a verbal to LSU.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Kiner is the straw that stirs the Spartan’s offense while Carrico is not only Ironton’s defensive standout but its biggest weapon on offense.
Kiner has had seven 100-plus yard rushing games this season with a grand total of 1,762 yards on 146 carries for a 12.1 yards per carry average. He has scored 29 touchdowns rushing, one receiving and one on a kickoff return.
Several times during the season Kiner would help the Spartans get a big lead and then sit for the remainder of the game.
As a team, the Spartans have 2,779 yards rushing on the season on 299 attempts for a 9.3 average and 40 touchdowns.
Carrico has played less this season than in the past but still has 1,276 yards rushing on 118 carries — nearly 11 yards a carry — and he has scored 21 rushing touchdowns.
Carrico has 48 tackles on defense with three sacks and a team-high 14 tackles for a loss.
Although Kiner is the main force on offense, he has gotten some key help from senior Danny Hudepohl who has 487 yards on 49 carries for a 9.9-yards per carry average. He has scored three touchdowns.
Another running threat is junior Jah’mal Hutsell with 376 yards on 53 attempts for a 7.1 average and he has four scores.
Giving the offense balance is junior quarterback Logan Huber who is 69-of-101 on the season for 1,064 yards and no interceptions. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes.
Huber has three main targets in senior Ryan Hallau and juniors Jake Tschida and Kyle Guyer.
Hallau had 20 receptions for 247 yards and four TDs, Tschida 15 catches for 208 yards and a score, and Guyer 13 grabs for 272 yards and four touchdowns.
Also, Hudepohl has caught 10 passes for 195 yards.
The defense is led by senior Nijal Mooney who has 67 tackles including 56 solo stops and six tackles for a loss.
Senior Evan Webb has 30 solo tackles and 37 overall with three for a loss. Hallau seven tackles for a loss including 3.5 sacks.
Senior Daniel Cartuyvelles has 6.5 sacks to lead the Spartans’ defensive rush while Hudepohl has 2.5.
The Spartans have 19 total quarterback sacks as a team.
Senior defensive back Alex Wolf leads the team with four interceptions — half of the team total.
Webb is also the punter and averages 32.5 yards a kick. Dylan Rolfert is 47-of-56 on conversion kicks and 2-of-3 on field goals with his longest traveling 37 yards.
This marks the seventh time the Spartans have qualified for the postseason including last season. Roger Bacon was 10-2 last year but played in Division 4. Their playoff record is 6-6.
Ironton is in the postseason for the 36th time — second most in state history along with Cincinnati Moeller and only one behind Newark Catholic.
Ironton is 54-33 overall in the postseason including state titles in 1979 and 1989. The Fighting Tigers have had seven runners-up and 13 state semifinal appearances.

Ironton Fighting Tigers’ Defense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
DE Ashton Duncan 24 6-02 225 Jr.
DT Nate Cochran 76 6-02 260 Jr.
DT Gunner Crawford 36 5-10 225 Sr.
DE Angelo Washington 25 6-00 210 Jr.
OLB Dalton Crabtree 33 5-10 190 Sr.
ILB Reid Carrico 28 6-03 235 Sr.
ILB Cameron Deere 30 5-11 190 Sr.
OLB Lincoln Barnes 32 5-11 160 So.
CB Trent Hacker 10 6-02 175 Sr.
CB Landen Wilson 15 5-08 140 So.
S Kyle Howell 20 5-10 170 Sr.
S Uriah Meadows 37 5-07 150 Sr.
P Kyle Howell 20 5-10 170 Sr.

Ironton Fighting Tigers Offense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
WR Trent Hacker 10 6-02 175 Sr. TE Ashton Duncan 24 6-02 225 Jr.
Dalton Crabtree 33 5-10 190 Sr.
RT Matthew Davis 52 6-00 210 Sr.
RG C.J. McCall 75 6-01 310 Jr.
C Rocky White 63 5-11 235 Sr.
LG Rylan Cecil 78 6-01 270 Jr.
RT Riley Boggs 70 6-02 260 Jr.
WR Kyle Howell 20 5-10 170 Sr.
QB Tayden Carpenter 4 5-11 175 So.
FB Cameron Deere 30 5-11 190 Sr.
RB Reid Carrico 28 6-03 235 Sr.
Trevor Carter 2 6-01 190 So.
PK Jimmy Mahlmeister 81 6-00 165 Sr.

 

Roger Bacon Offense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
QB Logan Huber 15 6-03 172 Jr.
RB Cory Kiner 22 5-10 210 Sr.
RB Danny Hudepohl 8 6-00 185 Sr.
LT Ethan Hausfeld 56 6-04 220 Sr.
LG Daniel Cartuyvelles 65 6-01 240 Sr.
C Evan Webb 52 5-11 216 Sr.
RG George Janzen 58 5-11 220 Jr.
RT Malakai Johnson 74 6-02 289 Sr.
HB Ryan Hallau 11 6-04 220 Sr.
WR Spencer Smith 3 5-09 174 Sr.
WR Jake Tschida 16 6-01 173 Jr.
PK Dylan Rolfert 77 5-11 204 Jr.

Roger Bacon Defense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
DE Ethan Hausfel 56 6-04 220 Sr.
DT Malakai Johnson 74 6-02 289 Sr.
DT Daniel Cartuyvelles 65 6-01 240 Sr.
DE Chris Shipley 51 5-10 170 Sr.
Ryan Hallau 11 6-04 220 Sr.
LB Nijal Mooney 45 6-00 220 Sr.
LB George Janzen 58 5-11 220 Jr.
LB Kent Guyer 20 6-00 172 So.
CB Chastan Walekr 21 5-09 161 So.
Cory Kiner 22 5-10 210 Sr.
CB Timyone Andrew 5 5-09 172 So.
S Alex Wolf 27 5-10 165 Sr.
S Kyle Guyer 19 6-01 170 Jr.
P Evan Webb 52 5-11 216 Sr.